I Became The Tyrant Of A Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 515

Black Night is a formidable foe.

In the game, her stats were truly terrifying. If she set up and unleashed her firepower, she could melt down the walls of Crossroads with ease.

Naturally, the lives of those standing on those walls would also evaporate along with them.

But games exist to be conquered. There is no such thing as a perfect enemy. In other words, there is always a gap to exploit.

In the game, Black Night’s weakness was that she was ‘vulnerable to mental status attacks’.

Considering that characters of the mage class usually have strong mental defenses, this was quite unexpected.

‘Could it be that her mental durability became tattered from constantly copying and pasting her mind?’

Before this unexpected weakness became widely known as a strategy, Black Night was called the ‘Wall of Wailing’ for three years.

But after the strategy became known, the number of users who managed to clear it by twisting their bodies somehow using this weakness increased, or so they say.

Of course, she was only ‘relatively’ vulnerable to mental status effects, and this alone couldn’t deliver the final blow.

For example, status effects like ‘Confusion’ or ‘Frenzy’ could be applied as a check, but ‘Mind Control,’ which would be the decisive blow, wouldn’t work.

‘What kind of boss buff is applied at her own discretion…’

When playing the game, I felt it was a reasonable balance adjustment because a high-ranking boss shouldn’t be taken out with a single mind control, but facing it in reality, I can only think it’s convenient. Ah, just let me use my mind control!

Anyway—so, in the game, I always made sure to raise a character specializing in mental attacks to face Black Night.

If there were characters like a mage specializing in mental status effects or a Curser [a character class that uses curses] who casts curses, it was possible to weaken her by continuously applying mental status effects and then proceed with the attack.

However, whether weakening her or not, a direct confrontation was ultimately necessary to kill the boss, and that meant being prepared to take damage.

Even in a weakened state, Black Night would summon her giant eye and use instant-kill attacks every few turns, inflict area damage with talisman bombardments, and spread darkness on the field, inflicting fear on allies who approached this dark field.

Naturally, the strategy was tough, and casualties were bound to be enormous. In the game, it was common for more than 30% of Crossroads’ total forces to be lost in a typical battle against Black Night.

If more than that was lost? Game over, of course.

The damage threshold was 30%. In other words, she was a formidable foe against whom at least 30% damage always had to be expected.

‘So, we’ll go around.’

We don’t have a mage or a curser who can inflict mental status effects, but instead, we have the utility-specialized party, the Gamble Club, that we can use.

But the problem with the Gamble Club is that they are not combat characters.

They are versatile, but their combat abilities are terrible. They can barely hunt even the weakest mobs after a fierce battle.

If they were deployed on the battlefield, they would undoubtedly melt away in a barrage of indiscriminate magic or eye beam show before they could even try anything against Black Night.

‘So, the top priority is to get the Gamble Club to approach Black Night safely!’

Long story short, the method I came up with is this!

“This surprise party!”

1. The Gamble Club can approach Black Night without fighting.

2. Black Night will walk into the center of our encirclement on her own.

3. We can even make the enemy lower their guard.

Operation Surprise Party is, theoretically, a plan that only has advantages!

“…But conversely,”

Lukas, who had been quietly standing next to me, coldly retorted.

“The Gamble Club could die with a single gesture from Black Night, and the enemy commander has entered the very center of our base without resistance, hasn’t she? Besides, will the enemy commander really let her guard down…?”

Damn it, that’s a sharp rebuttal. I clicked my tongue and turned to look at him.

The Hotel Crossroads party hall, decorated as a banquet hall.

Lukas, dressed in a neat light brown suit. And Evangelin, wearing a fluttering light yellow dress, stood on either side of me, as if guarding me.

I whistled, looking back and forth between the two of them.

“Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you two dressed up like this before? It suits you well?”

“Since you suddenly decided to throw a party, I hastily took out the formal wear I had made before… It’s a bit small. I guess I’ve grown a bit taller.”

Lukas, who had been embarrassed by my compliment, suddenly came to his senses.

“Ahem! Anyway, isn’t this operation too risky, my lord?”

“I’ll take the risk. The benefits that a scam show using the Gamble Club would bring if successful are too great.”

I calmly replied, looking around the well-decorated party hall.

Of course, a head-on battle would be a stable way to clear it. But typically, we would lose 30% of our allies.

Is the lives of 30% of our allies a fair price to pay for killing the third-ranked legion commander? Is it a reasonable cost?

…Maybe it is. Besides, the World Protection Front’s forces will be expanded in the future, so perhaps the lives of 30% we lose now might be a cheap price to pay in retrospect.

But if there is another way.

If there is a way to lose even a little less of our allies’ lives. If that way is a bit unconventional but has enough potential.

Of course, it’s worth trying, isn’t it?

“Even so, that method is a party.”

Evangelin, dressed in a fluttering light yellow dress, looked like a chick. I thought she had grown taller, but her mental age is still the same, she’s still bouncing around.

“I do think you’re a very smart person, senior…”

Evangelin, munching on a handful of snacks, glanced at me.

“Can I be honest?”

“When were you ever not honest? Speak.”

“You are extraordinary, but sometimes you exceed the range of that extraordinariness by about a sheet of paper, or rather…”

“…Like I’m crazy?”

“Yes! That’s it! You know yourself well, don’t you?”

Evangelin nodded vigorously. Evangelin continued, seeing me chuckle.

“…More than anything, I’m a little… uneasy.”

“Uneasy?”

“Whether it’s Black Night or So-ya, they’ve been moving for our sake so far, right?”

Evangelin’s chewing slowed down.

“Of course, your information has never been wrong, but… because of the ‘possibility’ that they might attack us, is it really the right thing to strike those who have helped us so far… I’m not sure anymore.”

“……”

“No, of course, I know! They are monsters. An undead lich legion. But… I don’t know anymore.”

Evangelin stood her ground and expressed her opinion, even under our blatant gaze.

“Before fighting together on this front, elves, dwarves, beastmen, merfolk… they were as distant to me as monsters. But now, regardless of their origins, we are fighting together as allies, right?”

“……”

“Isn’t it the same for monsters? If they truly want to stand by our side, can’t they become allies?”

Evangelin’s words suddenly brought the succubus queen Salome to mind.

And also the goblin god-king Alexander.

Yes. There was definitely room for dialogue with them. And we became friends, or almost became friends.

“…Yes. You’re right, Evangelin.”

Evangelin is right. What matters is not what one’s origin is.

The criterion that separates humans and monsters is ‘whether they can try to understand each other’.

“So, I’m going to give them a chance.”

“A chance?”

“Yes. To see if they really intend to side with us.”

I chuckled.

“Or if it’s all just a smokescreen and they’re going to attack us in the end. I’m going to test them.”

In the game, whether it was Black Night or So-ya, the mage Black Night was ultimately a monster who betrayed us.

But as Evangelin said, both of them have only been helping us so far.

I trust the information from the game, but there’s no guarantee that there won’t be another case like Salome.

So, I’ll test them as well.

Depending on the result, it will be decided. Whether this place will truly become a party to solidify the harmony between allies.

Or whether it will become a bloody dance where they betray each other and stab each other with knives.

This is that kind of place.

“We will just fight with all our might as our lord commands. However.”

Lukas calmly looked around the party hall.

“Is this enough force to prepare for the worst-case scenario?”

Inside the party hall, my heroes are dressed in suits and dresses, waiting in various places.

They all clearly recognize that this is a time of war, and their faces were marked with clear tension, but… they were dressed in such fine attire that was hard to see normally, so it was a pleasure to see them, regardless of their tension.

“Well, the tactics you taught us for various situations have been trained into everyone. But to be honest… that mage’s power is formidable.”

“……”

“If it comes to a head-on battle, we may suffer painful losses with our current forces.”

“Don’t worry too much.”

In the worst-case scenario, if the situation flows into an honest head-on battle, we would have to accept the loss of more than 30% of our allies.

I didn’t like that scenario either, so I put effort into Plan B as well. I smiled and looked towards the entrance of the party hall.

“Because I’ve taken out some insurance.”

I thought it was about time, and sure enough.

“Please pay attention!”

A servant at the entrance raised his voice, announcing the names of the high-ranking guests.

Since many of the heroes in this place were fallen kings, the servant had called out names a considerable number of times.

But this time, a name that no one had ever heard before was announced.

“The rightful successor, the legitimate representative, the overseer, and the guardian of the Lake Kingdom! The Princess of the Lake!”

Everyone in the room was puzzled by the unfamiliar title.

Only I, who had been waiting for the guest, smiled.

“Nameless is entering!”

And the Princess of the Lake entered the party hall.

Click. Click.

As she entered, making the sound of her shoes, the sound of people gasping for breath echoed like dominoes throughout the party hall.

I was also dumbfounded and broke out in a cold sweat. What the heck.

Even before, Nameless was unbelievably beautiful after being washed and cleaned, but this time, she was participating as a representative of the Lake Kingdom… so I had the maids dress her up.

‘Is she even human?’

Her snow-white hair was neatly tied back, and her pale skin, which had not been exposed to light, was lightly made up to give it some color.

Her clear turquoise eyes, like a lake, had neatly arranged long eyelashes. Below her sharply defined nose were her plump lips, painted with red lipstick.

As a representative of the Lake Kingdom, her dress was a light blue color with a hint of green. On her head was a gold and red crown. In her hand was a long scepter made of jade.

‘She’s like a porcelain doll…?’

If she’s this beautiful, you’d look at her as if she were a work of art, not a person.

Nameless, who had entered wearing low-heeled shoes, was embarrassed by the people’s mesmerized gazes, but soon bowed politely to the people around her.

And then she quickly walked towards me. Nameless, with a slightly flushed face, gritted her teeth and asked me.

“…Did you write that introduction, Ash?”

“Of course, I wrote it.”

I shrugged.

“Is there anything wrong with it?”

“…No, it’s nothing.”

While Nameless was covering her face in embarrassment, the heroes who had fought with her in the dungeon came running from all directions in surprise.

“Wow…! Nameless unnie [a term of endearment for older sister]! You look so amazing when you’re dressed up! Please dress up more often!”

“Wait, Nameless-nim [a respectful honorific], you were royalty?!”

“And from the Lake Kingdom?! Why didn’t you say anything!”

“No, that’s…”

Nameless was flustered as she was surrounded by the other heroes.

I was pleased to see that, and I winked at Lukas.

“How is it? My secret weapon, Nameless.”

“She is indeed a user of tremendous beauty… no, a user of force.”

Lukas swallowed his sigh and looked at me.

“…But my lord.”

“Yes?”

“If I’m not mistaken, you didn’t bring Nameless here as insurance…”

Lukas narrowed his eyes.

“Could it be that the reason you held this party was because of Nameless?”

“…Huh?”

I broke out in a cold sweat.

That golden retriever, why is his intuition so good sometimes…?

That’s when it happened.

“Please pay attention!”

The servant at the entrance of the party hall shouted in a trembling voice, unlike before.

“The descendant of the lost Eastern Continent, the owner of the Lake Kingdom Magic Tower, the third-ranked commander of the Nightmare Legion, and the one who has promised to form an alliance with humanity! The main character of this party!”

The party hall, which had been noisy with Nameless’s appearance, fell into a cold silence as if by agreement.

“Lady Black Night is entering!”

And with the announcement, she entered the party hall.

A blue-skinned, Jiangshi [a type of Chinese hopping vampire] archmage in a tight-fitting, oriental-style dress that revealed her voluptuous figure.

And following her, ten other Jiangshi lich bodies in oriental-style black uniforms that revealed their muscular bodies.

The appearance of eleven undead monsters made the party hall suddenly turn cold.

As if enjoying the freezing air, Black Night covered her mouth with a fan and smiled.

Beep.

I operated the miniature artifact- the communicator- on my ear.

“The sucker has entered.”

Among the heroes in their tense suits and dresses-

The five gamblers of the Gamble Club, who were carrying drinks and snacks in waiter uniforms, naturally received my communication.